Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows. // Luke 12:6-7 “Does that tire look flat?” I asked my children as we approached our minivan, our arms piled with fresh corn, at the Farmer’s Market. The tire looked quite low, but I decided to drive the two blocks home. At home, my husband found the tire gauge and confirmed it was low. We looked at each other feeling the burden of the first-world problems that had plagued us that day: a long wait at urgent care, a kid with a fever leading to delayed plans with visiting relatives, lengthy errands, deadlines to meet, and now this. I tried to offer the Lord my stress as my husband called the mechanic. Our mechanic was great, but often appointments were booked a week out. “They can see it now, if we bring it over right away,” he announced walking back into the room. I heaved a sigh of relief—maybe we would have two functioning cars over the busy weekend after all. An hour later they called that the tire was fixed. When my husband returned with the car, the peace was visible in his face, “They said there was no charge for the repair.” A gleam of providence lit up my heart. I felt God’s love break in. I do care about you. I see your problems. I am here. He had turned the burdens of our day into a simple demonstration of His love for us. Sister, the Lord notices every little thing about you from the hairs of your head to the difficulties you face each day. He really cares for you. Never forget that you have been chosen by Him (see Ephesians 1:11). Lean into His love and do not be afraid. You are worth more than the sparrows He looks on in love. Give Him the challenges you face today and look for where His love breaks through. [bctt tweet="Lean into His love and do not be afraid. // Susanna Spencer" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will. // Ephesians 1:5 My hands were shaking, whether from the cold or trying to hold back emotion it’s hard to say. We stood on the National Mall in Washington, DC surrounded by a sea of humanity awaiting the start of the March for Life rally. I stopped shaking long enough to take the picture. Standing before me was one of my 8th grade boys and his mom. Looking at them you’d never know they were mother and son, but the sign they were holding, the reason for my emotion, told the story, “Love Them Both.” Fourteen years earlier that now-teenager was born because his mom and her husband decided to “love them both” and accompanied his birth mom through nine months of a crisis pregnancy that ended with him in their arms as their adopted son. Sister, how many stories are there of babies placed with families because someone decided to “love them both” and embrace the gift of life through adoption? How many beautiful lives are being lived at this moment, that may have never been, if it weren’t for the self-sacrificing love of a mother who courageously gave birth to her child and heroically placed him for adoption? On a much deeper level, we all experience this story of love. We were all rescued from the darkness of death by a Father Who loves us beyond imagining. We are not simply brought into His family, but made like Him, sharers in His Divine Life. He renews and restores our identity, chooses us to be His Own by Baptism, rescues us through His Son’s sacrifice on the Cross. Sister, live this day in joy giving thanks for our adoption as His beloved daughters. Let’s also pray for all families who have welcomed children through the gift of adoption and for the mothers who have courageously placed their child for adoption. May all lives touched by adoption know the love of our true Father in Heaven. [bctt tweet="He chooses us to be His own. // Sister Maria Fatima @SistersofMaryOP" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” // Luke 11:45 I pictured myself as part of the crowd while I read this Gospel. The Holy Spirit took this opportunity to stir my heart as I reacted to the conversation. I was shocked by the scholar. The audacity to reply in such a bold and self-righteous way. Who did he think he was to speak to Jesus like that? After sitting with the Gospel and pondering my response, I realized that I can relate to the scholar. I cringe with the realization that I too have acted insulted. I too have bristled at the Lord’s words, at the Church’s doctrines, at the precepts which are true and holy. “Why does the Church expect ___ from me?! Those people don’t understand my life. God loves me no matter what . . . .” But woe to me for thinking I’m any better, wiser, or holier than Christ, Who teaches us through doctrines and traditions passed down by the Magisterium of the Church. Woe to me for closing off my heart to the Spirit, Who would increase my understanding and faith if I only but asked for it. Woe to me for my personal dissent, for caving to human weaknesses rather than follow the Spirit in faith and trust. Perhaps it is precisely His loving will for me to feel this way, like a prick to my conscience that self-reflection is needed. I take it as a sign that I need to dig deeper, increase my understanding, and realign my heart with His. In His mercy, God continues to call me out in my selfishness, my pride, my ignorance. God-willing, His gentle yet firm chastisements lead me ever closer to His heart. Sister, if this strikes a chord with you too, take heart. The Lord wants to bear fruit in our lives. He prods our consciences to help us weed out vices and habits which prevent us from bearing true fruit in our lives. Ask Him today to shower you in His mercy, lead you away from sin, and be open to whatever spiritual fruit He wants to grow in your life. [bctt tweet="The Lord wants to bear fruit in our lives. // Gina Fensterer" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. // Galatians 5:1 For many years, I was addicted to gossip. It’s embarrassing to admit, but there you go. Gossip, in the moment, felt good on my lips. It was practically delicious to me. It was also a form of slavery. Looking back now that God has set me free, I can see how Satan used it to keep me wrapped up in shame and anxiety. For years I was wounded and insecure. It would take one negative interaction that would rub up against a wound, and in order to feel better, I would repeat the offending interaction to friends. And then I would feel guilt and shame for talking badly about someone, so I would have to apologize to everyone. And repeat. The cycle didn’t stop until I focused not just on gossip, but on my wounds. Once I allowed Jesus to go to those places where He wanted to set me free, with God’s grace I started to have victory. The readings and responsorial for today focus on an interior freedom brought on by God’s mercy. We do not submit again to the yoke of slavery because we have been set free by God. He goes beyond the surface and dives deep into our hidden places, taking away the yoke of slavery brought on by sin. God reaches into our hidden depths to offer healing beyond anything we could ever hope or dream. [bctt tweet="He goes beyond the surface. // Rachel Balducci " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"My yoke is easy, and my burden light.” // Matthew 11:30 It was a summer night, and the guest speaker stood in front of a large group of teens, talking about purity, about all the different ways we might be tempted to stray from the narrow path. His talk shifted to the topic of pornography. “Now we all know this isn’t an area of temptation for the girls . . .” he joked. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as he continued, feeling ashamed and alone. My worst fears had been confirmed: I was the only girl in the world who struggled in this area. I didn’t intentionally seek out porn. I had started reading poetry and stories online, increasingly romantic, then erotic in nature. I liked the way these stories made my heart beat, the way they lit up my imagination. It wasn’t a far leap from erotic stories to erotic photos and videos, and once that can of worms is open, it is very hard to close it. The enemy wants us to believe that our sin is so shameful, so unique, so dark and unmentionable that we dare not tell a single soul. Our culture tells a simultaneous but opposing lie, that freedom means doing whatever we want, that every whim of our emotions should be obeyed, every base itch scratched. That these sinful actions are not only permissible but healthy, normal, and laudable. But freedom is not license. Freedom only exists in submission to the natural law God wrote in the cosmos and directly on our hearts, which allows us to live in perfect covenant with Him and with others. Our obedience allows our lives to be a celebration of love. Whatever sin you’re hiding in the dark, cast off the yoke of slavery, friend. Get yourself to Confession. Immerse yourself in the Word. Surrender completely to the One Who made you, Who knows how to fulfill your heart’s deepest desires. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:29-30). Yes, this burden may look like the Cross. But if we allow Christ to share it, if we cast our cares upon Him, He makes even the bitterest suffering sweeter than a pumpkin spice latte. [bctt tweet="Cast off the yoke of slavery. // Elizabeth Blanke" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"Stand up and go; your faith has saved you." // Luke 17:19 “Please, Momma, make me a mother like you!” I will never forget the sound of desperation in that woman’s voice, her ache for a child. She entered the baths of Lourdes, knowing Momma Mary would bring her cry to her Son. Her faith was stronger than an Olympian's; her prayer was more beautiful than any song I’d ever heard. There was vulnerability and intimacy between a mother-to-be and the Mother of our Savior. Her prayer for healing sounded like a vow she was exchanging to God to be a mother who would love and lead her child directly to Him. The waters of Lourdes, France, have an profound effect on one’s soul. The prayers prayed in silence and aloud co-mingle with the healing waters. To witness the faith of countless women freely disrobing and plunging into the waters, wrapped in a sheet, in order to be cleansed from illness and infirmity will forever be the most humbling moment of my life. It is not unlike today’s Gospel. I will never know if the faith of the women I helped lower into the baths of Lourdes received the healing and grace they sought, but I do know that God heals every woman how He knows they need to be healed in those waters. I know God spoke to their hearts the same thing He spoke to mine, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you" (Luke 17:19). I was not healed from Multiple Sclerosis when I plunged into the icy cold waters. However, the depression that was plaguing me was immediately released. God knew I needed healing from depression. He also knew that the gift of Multiple Sclerosis would lead me into a deeper love and trust with Him and a greater understanding of His suffering for me, for us, on the Cross. So today, I return to Him in thanksgiving for all the ways He has healed and will heal me. I offer a prayer of gratitude for all the women who allowed a stranger to pray alongside her as she faithfully offered her prayers for healing to our Mother Mary and God. May God heal what we need to heal most today for His glory. [bctt tweet="Return to Him in thanksgiving. // @socaltriciat" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. // Galatians 3:27-28 Over the summer, I dove headfirst into a new skill of videography for the first time at a high school faith leadership institute hosted by my university. By the end of the week-long event, I had pushed myself far out of my comfort zone and created a video that captured the week’s experiences of prayer, community, and joyful faith. I was extremely proud of it, and the community loved it as much as I did. I had never felt so fulfilled after accomplishing something that moved people so deeply. However, in the face of this fruitful work that I had done, my heart was drawn to the other things I had witnessed: the friendships I had made, the prayer I had experienced, and the community of faith that God transformed right before my eyes. My work capturing the week was beautiful and good, but it paled in comparison to the work that God had done. We often base our thought of the goodness of something on how productive, successful, or even moving that it is. Especially as an artist, it can be easy to measure my own worth on the talent I have or finished products that I create. We can be tempted to think that our titles are the most important thing about us. I don’t want to measure goodness in that way anymore. After all, the most important thing about me is Christ. It’s the way I am loved by Him and the ways I go out to love like Him, too. To be clothed in Christ, like Saint Paul wrote in Galatians, is what makes us good (Galatians 3:27). When we believe this, our titles, accomplishments, and talents that set us apart from one another become reflections of Christ in us, an opportunity to give Him honor and glory, not ourselves. This doesn’t mean that we can’t work hard at the things we are passionate about. In fact, when we see our identity as children of God first, we are free to explore work that is fruitful, relationships that are united, and lives lived beautifully for Him. [bctt tweet="Give Him honor and glory. // Aubrey Major" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." // Luke 1:28 My heart remained resentful towards Our Lady during my teenage years. I was convinced that she was only for the “really holy” people. I thought to myself, I already have Jesus. What does Mary have to do with me? Maybe you're wrestling with the same question. The Lord softened my heart throughout the years, and I began to see her ultimate role not only as the Mother of God, but my mother as well. In August of 2021, the Father tugged my heart to pray the 54 Day Rosary Novena. I agreed to do this, however I was a bit nervous. Praying the Rosary was not a habit in my daily life. I had prayed the Rosary a few times by myself and a decade with my family in the evening, but I had never consistently prayed the full Rosary. I didn’t know all the mysteries; I usually became distracted, restless, and bored. I knew it would be a challenge, but in all my littleness, I remained obedient. It wasn’t easy, however, it drew my heart so intimately with Mary’s. Not right away, but eventually, this led to making the Rosary a daily habit in my life. The more I learned about Mary’s heart, the more beautiful the Rosary appeared, instead of seeing it as a chore or something to cross off my to-do list. In a moment of great distress, I grabbed my rosary. Walking outside, I listened to an audio version of the Rosary on my phone. I was too upset to even mouth the prayers, but receiving the motherly care and comfort of Our Lady, through the Rosary, was enough to calm my heart. Sister, can I gently encourage you to say a Hail Mary today? Sit with Mary for a moment. Mother Teresa had a simple, but beautiful prayer that she would say to Our Lady, Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now. We need a mom, and Jesus gifted us with the most perfect one. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us. [bctt tweet="Sit with Mary for a moment. // Bella Rol" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”// Luke 11:9-13 A small tree grew alongside the rusted metal fence in my great-grandmother’s backyard. Its branches drooped beneath the weight of ripened figs, deliciously sweet, and warm from the unrelenting Arizona sun. I gathered them in a blue plastic bucket and ran barefoot across the gravel yard, bursting through the warped screen door into my great-grandmother’s kitchen. She stood at the stove, making tortillas, her hands strong and movements swift. She was ninety years old. In the corner of her kitchen was a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus surrounded by flickering candles and fresh roses from her garden. The words she spoke that day echo softly in my mind like an old comforting song, “See His heart? He will always take of you . . . always.” My great-grandmother didn’t have accolades or affluence. She never learned to read. She never had a bank account, preferring to stuff what little money they had underneath their bedroom mattress. She was a simple woman. A humble woman. A wise woman who shared with her family an immeasurable inheritance. She shared the Faith, bestowing powerful truths while standing at the kitchen stove. Powerful truths that would wash over me and revive my dry bones many times over the years. A reminder that I have a Lover of my soul. His heart poured out for me. His heart poured out for you. “See His heart? He will always take of you . . . always.” Soak in this truth, sister. [bctt tweet="He will always take of you . . . always. // Leana Bowler " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name . . . .” // Luke 11:2 It’s the third prayer I learned how to pray, after the Sign of the Cross and the Hail Mary. Taught in Catholic grade school by a warm hearted, imminently huggable kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Miller, I still remember when she tried to explain to us what “hallow” meant. “Holy. Like something very very special and like nothing else in the world. That’s God’s name. Very different than your name, or mine.” But then that night, when my mom told me, “Listen to your father,” I became confused. My dad was “father.” And Father Danny at the church was “Father.” But this new prayer, my third one, with this super special very different holy name, was addressed to Father . . . . Perhaps that’s the real beauty of this prayer, the one we learn as children and recite from memory, often too quickly. We don’t turn to God with flowery language we don’t understand, with words foreign to our vocabulary. We turn to God and address Him as our Father, knowing His fatherhood is very special, like nothing else in the world, set apart in the most unique of ways. Because He is a Father Who never leaves, a Father Who provides, a Father Who does not fail in lavishing perfect love upon us. Even the best of fathers in this world make mistakes and can fall short. But God, our Father, with this hallowed name, provides our daily bread, forgives us our sins, holds us close as we face temptation, guides us ever closer to His perfect heart. I invite you to pray the Our Father today, slowly, from your heart. See how it feels to really call out to our Father. [bctt tweet="He is a Father Who never leaves. // @KatiePMcGrady" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” // Luke 10:42 The scent first reached us, and it was amazing. The aroma of fresh, warm bread and smoky cheddar wafted through the house as the back door shut. While my dear friend Sister Mariam and I chatted and laughed on the living room sofa, my teenager had spent the afternoon carefully following a new recipe for cheddar bread. After baking it on our pellet grill, she proudly brought it in to share. My daughter cut three slices off the end and presented them to us. Sister chose first, taking an inside slice, and I very happily picked up the end piece with all of its crusty goodness. One bite for the other kids and they instantly knew the bread was underbaked and would need to go back to the grill. As Sister also placed her slice back on the platter, I declared, “I’m sorry yours is underdone. Mine is perfect. Looks like I have chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from me.” We laughed, but a part of me felt selfish. Reflecting on it now, I wonder how Mary felt when the words were originally spoken about her by Jesus two thousand years ago. Had she wanted her sister to sit down beside her and just take it all in? Did she blush when Martha called her out? Did she look down in embarrassment when the Lord gently rebuked her sister? Did Martha receive Jesus’ words and the love behind them in humiliated anger or tender relief? I don’t know, but I believe that Jesus wants us all to have the better part of being close to Him in all we do, and He does not want anyone to take it from us. Are you open to the better part? How are you open to Him today? [bctt tweet="Jesus wants us all to have the better part. // Bonnie Engstrom " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another). // Galatians 1:6 In the early years of my conversion, I asked the Lord for the heart of this friend to be touched, the suicidal thoughts of that one to be overcome, for a miracle of healing here, and conversion there. It felt as though everything and anything I prayed for would come true. I was spoiled, one could say. And rightly so, I reasoned. How could there be suffering for one who has turned her life over to the Lord? Once we say yes to Him, follow Him and leave our old ways, it’s all uphill from that point onwards, right? I had subscribed to a false gospel of prosperity and constant earthly joys with no sorrows, to a world where the Lord fixed everything and made everyone feel good. The Lord treated me mercifully and only slowly began to show me the truth: Christians have a unique call to share in the sufferings and death of Christ, to follow where He has led, namely the Cross. He began to allow for me to drink from the Cup (Matthew 20:22-23)—at first, once or twice sporadically and then more often. As Christians, our suffering will have meaning and, moreover, it will have power. This power infused into our suffering as we unite ourselves more fully to Christ comes not from us, but purely from His merits. My suffering, then, becomes transformed and elevated to a storehouse of treasures for myself and others. Is this how I see my crosses? Do I realize they are overwhelmingly full of graces waiting to be dispensed? The Lord is present there, calling me higher, drawing me closer, and purifying my love and my faith. He has gone before us on the road of suffering and is, therefore, the best teacher on how to carry the load. Sister, may we kiss the Cross and embrace Christ there, rejecting all of the false gospels we have turned to for comfort. [bctt tweet="He has gone before us on the road of suffering. // Rocio Hermes" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord . . . . // 2 Timothy 1:8 When my therapist asked me how I was doing that week, I could barely wait to tell her all about my experience as a small group leader at the retreat I attended, focused on ministering to adult children of divorced. From the edge of my seat, I told her about the redemption I had witnessed first-hand in the stories of those in my small group, many of whom were joyfully married despite having walked through the deep pain of abuse and abandonment as children. I left out no detail in defending the elaborate beauty of their stories, each one total evidence of the Lord's fidelity towards us. My therapist listened to each one carefully and rejoiced in all of the new hope I had discovered in this new community. Then, at the end of our session, she leaned in gently and said, "Sarah, I hope one day you will see the same beauty in your own story that you see in everyone else's." I was completely leveled. It occurred to me that I had spent our entire session expounding upon the goodness of everyone else's story, and in that, implying that mine was principally inferior. Isn't it true, that somehow, some way, we manage to see all the ways Lord is showing up for everyone else and not us? I feel so convicted by a verse from today's Second Reading, "So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord" (2 Timothy 1:8) Rebuking shame over my testimony has been one of the most monumental battles of my life. My healing journey as a woman started when I began to claim confidence in the Lord's crafting of my narrative—knowing not one ache or groan or sob ever escaped His notice. Sister, I pray that you would reclaim your testimony today and that you would include every chapter. Above all else, I pray that you will see, and that the Lord will reveal with mighty glory, the beauty in your story that you have seen in everyone else's. [bctt tweet="Reclaim your testimony. // Sarah Elizabeth" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will . . . . Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” // Luke 10:21, 23 After queuing through the congestion of airport security, I walked down the terminal to my airline gate. I was traveling by myself, and they were beginning to board the plane. Most people were listening to their headphones with their eyes glued to electronic devices. As I found my seat on the airplane, it seemed to be a flight full of business commuters. Another day, another flight for so many of them. A sweet family took their seats in the row behind me, and I could hear the chatter of a young, inquisitive child. This must have been his first flight. As a loyal member of #TeamWindowSeat, it was charming to overhear some observations of the curious child in the window seat directly behind me. The airplane taxied to the runway, and the child became excited with anticipation. As we accelerated for takeoff, this child began laughing with absolute delight. He enthusiastically started shouting out, “We are flying! We are in the air! We are higher than the clouds! This is amazing!” The purity of his joy in this magical moment was contagious. Passengers looked up from their work, glanced at each other with smiles, and giggles erupted throughout the aircraft. This little passenger helped us see with his eyes of wonder. In today’s Gospel, we learn that Our Father has hidden things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to the childlike (Luke 10:21). May God give us childlike hearts that are able to see our world with wonder and joy. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, whose memorial we celebrate today, had a pure, childlike heart oriented towards God. Let us ask her to guide us along her Little Way as we pray with these lines of her May 31, 1897 poem, Abandonment Is the Sweet Fruit of Love: No, nothing worries me. Nothing can trouble me. My soul knows how to fly Higher than the lark. Above the clouds The sky is always blue. One touches the shores Where God reigns. I await in peace the glory Of that Heavenly abode, For I find in the Ciborium The sweet Fruit of Love! [bctt tweet="Give us childlike hearts. // Rose Coleman" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. // Psalm 139:1-3 When I started college a few years ago, I began the typical freshman year experience of meeting new people at every turn. I slowly became obsessed with explaining myself so that people wouldn’t assume things about me or read me the wrong way. “Oh sorry, that’s just not me.” I wanted to be sure that people knew I was an introvert so they didn’t expect me to pick up the phone if they called randomly. I told people “I’m not a morning person” relentlessly so they wouldn’t hear a rude tone before class and assume that I’m always an irritable person. I created my picture-perfect list of traits to describe myself so that I could keep control of who I am and who people know me to be. As my college years went on, I felt unexpectedly outgoing and creative, but I would shut myself down because it didn’t fit this existing image of me. I began seeing all these different versions of myself from other people’s perspectives, and none of them aligned with who I thought I was. Most importantly, I saw myself more through God’s eyes, who already understands my thoughts completely, as the Psalmist writes. To this day, as God constantly shakes up this ideal version of my life that I try to craft, He is drawing me closer to Himself. God knows when I sit and stand, and He sees more clearly than anyone the versions of myself that I’ve been and the versions of myself that I will be. His view reveals the complete, complicated daughter who is fully loved by Him. Seeing ourselves change can feel overwhelming. I pray you find comfort in knowing that God understood you before, and He understands you still as you grow before His eyes. You don’t need excuses to be known and delighted in by God. Draw nearer to Him so He can reveal the woman He is calling you to be. [bctt tweet="You don’t need excuses to be known and delighted in by God. // Aubrey Major" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. // Revelations 12:7-8 My household “sisters” surrounded me in the dorm room. Their hands were stretched, touching my shoulders and reaching towards the heavens. Words of praise poured from their mouths, and tears streamed down my cheeks. “In Jesus’ name I bind and cast out the spirit of unforgiveness,” I prayed aloud. They encouraged me as I continued to call on Jesus to cast out the various spirits that oppressed me in my life. We were following the process of deliverance prayer from the book Unbound by Neal Lozano, and in the spiritual realm at that moment Saint Michael and his angels were battling against the dragon and his followers on our behalf. My friends and I, through the guidance of spiritual advisors, prayed these deliverance prayers many times together, for each other and with other women seeking healing and forgiveness from specific sins. It was a beautiful time of experiencing the Lord’s grace that launched me deeper into my spiritual life. Those years of prayer together taught me that there really is a battle we face everyday in our lives. We know that the Lord has the ultimate victory in His Death and Resurrection, but He is also ready to fight for the soul of each and every human person on earth. The spiritual realm can be a little baffling and scary. I often do not think about the presence of angels around me, but they are there, ready to fight for us against the dragon who has no place in Heaven. Sister, today is the Feast of the Archangels Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Pray to them today, asking them to help you face the spiritual battles the Lord allows you to encounter. You do not have to battle against sin alone. Allow them to fight with you, and the devil and his fallen angels will not prevail. Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. [bctt tweet="You do not have to battle against sin alone. // Susanna Spencer " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood Him and remained unscathed? // Job 9:4 Father, You have created me in Your wisdom. You have brought me to this day, with my hopes, joys, fears, and pain. I need You to be my strength today. You are mighty and sometimes I find it mighty hard to joyfully follow You. I cannot always understand Your holy will. I want to follow You unreservedly, but sometimes there is resistance in my heart. I do not intend to withstand You or impede Your work within me. I want Your will to be done. I know there is a cost to following Jesus, but I find myself afraid of the suffering and pain. Be gentle, O Divine Physician. I know that You love me as You do what is necessary to bring true healing to my heart. In the darkness, You reveal only what I need. If I saw the future, I might just run away. But I will remain here with You. In Your Kingdom, there is always more to give and even more to receive. Let me be made into the likeness of Jesus. Conform my heart to deeper union with His Heart and His Cross and Resurrection. Make me fit for Your kingdom. I will not remain unscathed. I am not afraid to be wounded by Your Love. I will follow You wherever You go. The costs are high, and there are no conditions, no distractions, no excuses. Following You will bring me the most perfect peace and a foretaste of Heaven. Let there be a miracle of Grace today. Allow me to experience peace and joy in my suffering, humiliation, and poverty. I am content with Your perfect will. I give thanks to You in all things. Help me to rejoice in You, always. Amen. [bctt tweet="I will follow You wherever You go. // Rose Coleman" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion